After a (predictably) rocky start Coach and the (our) team did just fine. Remember that Coach Ara “Ara stop the snow” Parseghian has said that a great defense is the first thing you worry about, and Coach K has brought in some doozers in his first recruiting class.

Is he a big time coach? Yes. Is he the right man for the job? Yes.

Is it just a game? Yes.

206 days until the season starts!

1. A dominant, unstoppable offensive line.
2. A consistent running game that controls the game by controlling the clock. Perhaps it is wrong to expect this from the spread offense, but I have fond memories of what players like Bettis, Brooks, Bullock, Best, and Penick achieved for the Irish.

I’m sorry, but I don’t see either of these from BK. His offense one doesn’t require it and two is not attractive to the types of lineman that you’re looking for.

Very much incomplete.

Watch any coach over the course of a year and you will see these mistakes. Saban and Stoops included had some bonehead moves this year. Its never automatic, You will always have mistakes. Against mSU they were going for a block but still had Smith assigned to mark the fake. He was taken down. They werent in full fake protection, but neither would most teams.

If all they did was play the fake, I’m not sure that’s the right call. Maybe if the special teams coach was there you can make that call, but Elston was out all week.

Fair to be critical and same cause for concern, but you’re going to have coaching misses in any year, you have to be good enough coach as a team to overcome those. The fact that you’re focused on a play here and a play there actually means the big pieces were working pretty well.

It doesn’t say that at all. You’re reading with your own angst

Attention to detail – Michigan State – play clock runs out before the dreadful fake. Had someone been tracking the clock, the play could have been challenged on the spot it would have been called back, regardless of what the Big East said after the fact.

Acceptance of responsibility and preparation – Michigan State – paraphrasing the postgame comments: We knew they had that play (re: the fake) – our guys fell down… I’ve rewatched that play 50 times, and every time I notice the defense on that side is in a 3 point stance. That’s not preparation.

After all those years in the business this should all be automatic. The fact that it isn’t is a bit scary. Great recruits are great but on game day the good coaches don’t leave wins on the field.

Are you sure it’s an incomplete by any measure? Because there’s one measure, the one you mention in your first sentence, where I don’t think he got an incomplete. He got an F.

Dan is right. If Kelly did well at something, you declared the question answered. If he did poorly at it, you said he gets to try again next year. If you want to argue that you need to see more before you can answer your questions, you’re arguing why writing the article now is pointless.